Chuck Vs The Swedish Arms Dealer
by Newton Ransom
Summary: Another agency has sent an agent to assist on the Intersect case, but she's more than they bargained for. A case leads to a deeper look into Casey's past, and I'm not very good at summaries. Very minor Casey/OC. Like, super minor, pretend spy slash. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__As always, the usual copyrights apply. Adrienne's mine, however. I wrote this a while ago, and never got around to posting it, but I figured that since I haven't posted anything in a while, I owed it to my fans, as few and far between as they may be. It's another one of my Casey fics, but this one is a Casey/OC, but it's very minor. I don't write anything rated higher than teen, unless it's anime. And obviously, it's not anime. Anyway enough blabbering, read and review please!_

_Love always,_

_Brittny Bombsquad_

**Viewmont Apartment Complex**

**Des Moines, Iowa**

**3 AM**

**January 5, 2008**

Adrienne looked up, shocked. Her land-line phone was ringing. She had only set up the land-line as protocol, in case any of her temporary contacts had to get ahold of her. Of course, they never did. She had no friends here, and she always went to work, so the phone sat dormant, gathering dust in her small one bedroom apartment. She ignored it, hoping it was a telemarketer or a wrong number. After seven intent rings, it fell silent, but Adrienne remained on edge. She had been trained better than this, she shouldn't be letting this get under her skin, but it was. She turned off the television she had been zoned out in front of and checked compulsively out her windows. Outside was miserable and cold, a typical Des Moines January night. The hustle and bustle of the Intercity was everpresent, she wouldn't have noticed someone unusual out there unless she knew who she was looking for. The phone started to ring again. She took a deep breath to clear her head, and answered.

"Hello?", she asked, sounding falsely confident. A deep male voice on the other end responded, "Is this Adrienne Dickey?" Adrienne's heart skipped a beat. 'It can't be someone from the agency', she thought.'My cellphone number is on record'.

"No, sorry wrong number."

"Well, then, Who is this?"the man on the other line pursued. "Andrea Delmonico," Adrienne answered, using her current Iowa alias.

"Do you know where I can find her then?" The guy seemed annoyed, yet he was persistent to contact Adrienne. Just then, she thought she recognized the voice.

"Wait, Casey?" she asked. He cleared his throat."This line is not secure, meet me at the coffee shop in your building's lobby."

"Now?" she asked incredulously, glancing at the clock. A click on the other end told her he had already hung up.

Although she was sure the man she was meeting was Casey, she hid her gun in her belt before heading downstairs. In her years at the agency, she learned that people are very rarely who they say they are, and even if they are, it doesn't mean you can trust them.

In the near deserted lobby coffee shop, she found Casey sitting at a round corner table, with two coffees already ordered. She sat down and hesitantly took the coffee he offered her. "It's not poisoned. I swear. You know full well that if I were going to kill you, I'd shoot you."

Adrienne smiled. "Yeah, I know",she said, absentmindedly clasping her side. After she finally sipped her coffee, Casey leaned forward."I have a reassignment for you," he said professionally.

Sarcastically, Adrienne replied, "And here I was, thinking you just wanted to talk."

Casey glanced around the room. "This is too open. Can we go up to your apartment for this?" he asked, although he said it more like an order. She led him to the elevator across the lobby, and pushed the button for the fourth floor. They got off the elevator to a deserted hallway, and Adrienne let Casey in her apartment. He sat down on her faux leather couch and she pulled out her cellphone and put in a code. She walked briskly around the room, her cellphone held in front of her, checking for "bugs". When she finished her search she joined Casey on the couch. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Alittle paranoid, are we?"

She glanced at him."I'm assuming this is important?" He sighed and went into an unofficial briefing.

"As you know, 'Intercect' was hacked into, and went missing. It has been tracked and found to be incoded in a civilian's head. You are to join us, that is to say me and a CIA agent, in Los Angeles's Echo Park Plaza Buymore tommorrow. Pack your bags, temporary residence has already been arranged for you. I can't garuentee that this will be a short assignment; I've been there for three months already. It's not going to be glamorous." He stood to leave. "I'll see you tommorrow then. Come in through LAX, General Beckman should send you your ticket tonight.Call me as soon as your in California for further instuction."

**Echo Park Buymore**

**Los Angeles, California**

**12 PM-noon**

**January 6, 2008**

Adrienne took a deep breathe before stepping through the automatic doors to the Buymore. She glanced around around the store before heading to the game isle, as instructed. Casey approached her. "May I help you, ma'am?" he asked, with an air of sarcasm. She turned to face him, and looked him over appraisingly. She went to answer him, but was interupted by a short member of the Buymore staff, sneaking behind Casey. "Who's the fan club?" she asked. Casey turned to look at him. "Morgan," he groaned. "Hey man, Just checking out your lady friend...customer." With a menacing glare from Casey, he backed down.

Casey took Adrienne by the arm and led her into the Home Theater Room. Chuck and Sarah entered soon after. Chuck looked from Casey to Adrienne. "Who's she?"he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Special Agent Major Adrienne Dickey, of the CSS," answered Casey

."Which is just a fancy way of saying she's a smart member of the NSA.," added Sarah, snidely.

Adrienne raised her eyebrows and shrugged. Sarah stepped forward, her back to Chuck and Adrienne.

"Casey, why is she here?"she asked. Adrienne snorted."Not like I'm right here or anything."

Chuck sighed."Great. Sarcasm. Is that like an NSA requirement or something?"

Somewhere in the room, a woman cleared her throat. General Beckman was on the TV screen. Casey and Adrienne stood at attention, while Sarah and Chuck hung back. "She is there on my orders, Agent Walker. Is that a problem?"she asked. "Well, no, but I think her being here may become a conflict of interests, given her and Casey's, uh, history. Plus, I don't personally think we should bring more federal agencies into the 'Intercect' case."

"Well, as you pointed out, Agent Walker, the CSS is technically part of the NSA, and you had no problem with 'Corina' being on the case, but not only did she have more of a history with Major Casey than Major Dickey does, but she was in a completely seperate agency.So if anything, Major Dickey being assigned to this case would be a conflict of interest to you, not Major Casey. I advise you put aside your personal problems with Major Dickey, or you will be replaced on this case, seeing as her knowledge of Cryptography is very important to keeping 'Intercect' hidden and assist with the removal of it,"General Beckman finished sternly.

Chuck grasped his head. "Removal? Will it hurt?" He was ignored. General Beckman continued. "The CSS branch of the NSA has only recently been needed for the case. Major Dickey is one of their best Cryptologists, and she is also a fairly good field agent, given her military expierence. She is playing the same role in your lives as any of you are currently and will stay that way until taken off the case. As unorthodox as she may be at times, she does now have control of 'Intercect' and neither one of you is to stop her from doing her job. Carry On,"she said, before the screen went black.

Adrienne sighed."I love how everyone talks about me like I'm not even in the room."

"So can someone please tell me whats going on?"asked Chuck.

"Easy,"answered Adrienne."I'm an NSA agent who is trained in decoding and hiding messages, like the subliminal messaging stored in the Intercect. I was called in to this assignment to thread messages in and out of you, and as extra protection."

**NSA Headquarters**

**Fort Meade, Maryland**

**12 AM-Midnight**

**January 6, 2008**

Michael Gregovitch couldn't believe his eyes. He was one of the few NSA agents in the building at this hour; one of the rookies that took night shift to get his hours without actually doing anything, but here he was, doing something. The computer screen in front of him flashed 'HATEF', a NSA code for Soviet contact that hadn't been in use since 1991. He had only heard of the code during his Cryptoanalysis class at Baltimore State; his Federal training didn't even mention it. He looked around, hoping one of his few fellow agents of the hour had gotten the same message, but the only other agent in the room was asleep. Michael opened the "HATEF" file, and a video of static greeted him. The white noise in his headset was unbearable. As he went to turn it down, however, he heard a man's voices coming threw the static.

"Hostile contact" it said. "Soviet spies...returned...protect...Intercect...Prime minister...assassination attempt...hide...intel..."the voice came across barely through the static. Then, clear as day to the young agent, was a gunshot. The screen in front of him cleared and he got a brief view of a bald scar-faced man in a dark suit who raised a Colt revolver to the screen and fired. The screen went black and the noise in his headset was cut off.

**Apartment of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski**

**Los Angeles, California**

**8 PM**

**January 6, 2008**

"Hey Chuck,"called Ellie. "Why don't you go invite John to dinner."

"Yeah, ok," answered Chuck, knowing John Casey doesn't do dinner invites. He pounded on the door anyway. To his surprise, Adrienne answered."So is this what Sarah meant by your history with Casey?"he asked. She closed the door in his face. "John, it's for you, obviously." Casey wretched open the door. "What?"

"Hey there big guy. Don't mean to interupt anything here, but Ellie would like to know if you'd care to join us for dinner." Casey closed the door in his face too.

"Hey Adrienne, do you want to meet Chuck's family, by any chance?" To his dismay, she said yes. He opened the door again. "Yes I guess, as long as your sister's okay with Adrienne coming." He closed the door again and glared at Adrienne. She smiled back.

When Chuck returned to his apartment, both Morgan and Sarah were there. "Well, Ellie, I hope you made alot of to much, because I'm assuming Sarah and Morgan are going to eat with us, and Casey's bringing his roommate, if it's alright."

"Yeah, the more the merrier,"said Ellie, laughing nervously.

Sarah approached Chuck."He's bringing Adrienne I'm assuming?" Chuck nodded. "She's not to be trusted," she added, as the doorbell rang. Devon answered, ushering Casey and Adrienne in. Morgan jumped up from in front of the TV as soon as he noticed her. "Well hello again. I didn't think we meet again, so soon," he kissed her hand.

"Morgan," whined Ellie. "Please don't scare away my guests. I'm sorry about him, he's one of Chuck's friends. I'm Ellie, Chuck's sister." She offered Adrienne her hand.

"I'm Adrienne, John's girlfriend," she responded, shaking Ellie's hand. Chuck supressed at laugh, at both Casey's reaction to Adrienne's introduction and Morgan's realization that Casey was going to kick his ass.

While waiting for Ellie to finish dinner, Devon, Sarah, Chuck, Morgan, Casey, and Adrienne sat in the living room, chatting. Since couch space was limited, Adrienne sat in Casey's lap, stroking his chest. "You're having way too much fun with this," Sarah pointed out. Adrienne just ignored her, and continued to pretend like Casey was the love of her life. He seemed to be getting into it, stroking her hair and letting his face soften alittle.

When Ellie called them for dinner, they all eagerly abandoned the increasingly awkward situation in the living room. "So, Adrienne, have you and John know each other for a while?" Sarah asked, trying to catch Casey in his bluff.

Casey shot her a sideways glance, but Adrienne picked up the conversation without missing a beat. "Yeah, we go way back. I met him a few years ago while I was working in New York, and we just hit it off. Then he moved out here for family, and I couldn't abandon my job as easily, so I decided to move up here with him when I could."

Ellie sighed."That's so sweet that you left your job and moved 3,000 miles across the country for him. Your so lucky, he's such a sweet guy." Adrienne smirked at Casey, knowing all of it was a lie, and that he had someone convinced he was "sweet".

Devon offered Adrienne a plate of biscits. "So what did you do in New York?" he asked.

"I worked on the army base, actually," she answered. That part was true. She had worked on a military base of some sort in New York once, but the rest of her story was lies and half-truths.

"Oh, really? What branch of the military?" asked Ellie, intrigued. "The Marine Corps, actually," she responded, knowing that she needed to trail the story off soon before they knew to much, or Sarah reported her.

"You don't look like a Marine," said Chuck. Adrienne faked a laugh. "Long sleeves hides the tattoos." She noticed the growing smile on Sarah's face, telling her she needed to back out of the conversation or Sarah was going to report her to General Beckman. She glanced at Casey, and he knew to change the subject. "Ellie this is amazing," he said, giving an uncharateristic compliment to save Adrienne's skin. "Thank you, John. See, he is so sweet." She smiled at Adrienne. "So," she continued, "This is our early Russian Christmas celebration. Lets all hope for snow tommorrow."

"Babe, It's LA, its never going to snow," said Devon.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **__As always, the usual copyrights apply. Adrienne's mine, however. I wrote this a while ago, and never got around to posting it, but I figured that since I haven't posted anything in a while, I owed it to my fans, as few and far between as they may be. It's another one of my Casey fics, but this one is a Casey/OC, but it's very minor. I don't write anything rated higher than teen, unless it's anime. And obviously, it's not anime. Anyway enough blabbering, read and review please!_

_ Love always,_

_ Brittny Bombsquad_

**Echo Park Buymore**

**Los Angeles, California**

**9 AM**

**January 7, 2008**

"When can you start?" Chuck asked Adrienne, uncomfortable. She was applying for a job on the Buymore staff, a greenshirt as they were referred. Big Mike had passed the interview down to him, saying it was his duty as assistant manager. He didn't even bother to interview her, knowing he had to give her the job. 

"Now is fine,"she answered. 

"Ok, well you need a green polo shirt, lets see what we have in stock." He handed her a poorly fitting green Buymore polo shirt. She took it reluctantly.

"You wouldn't happen to have anything alittle more, uh, complimenting?"

He smiled at her meekly. "Nope. Sorry. We use the same ones for guys and girls." 

"Then can I at least have smaller one?" He exchanged her shirt for a smaller one. "I see your already wearing Khakis, so I guess your good. I'll put in a name tag request with Big Mike, it should be in soon." 

"You mean to tell me I'm in a electronics store that doesn't even have a name tag labeler... thingy?" Chuck shrugged. 

Adrienne was shown out of the office by Chuck, and she immediately joined Casey in electronics. He did a double take when he noticed her in Buymore uniform. "You don't waste any time, do you?" 

She smiled. "So, I couldn't help but notice that I didn't get the third degree for telling Chuck's family about my military past. I figured you'd have a problem with it." 

"No, I don't think you told them to much. Besides, Bartowski already knew you were in the military because General Beckman adressed you as Major. And it's not my business if you blow your cover or get yourself in trouble." 

She pulled a scanner out of her belt. "So, teach me how to use this thing," she said, looking at the ancient piece of equipment. 

"Point it at a barcode and pull the trigger. Very high tech. I understand if you can't use it." He smirked. Before she had a chance to retort, her phone rang and she answered it, moving to Casey's otherside incase the manager was around.

"It was Beckman," she told Casey, leading him to the home theater room. Once inside, General Beckman told them about a transmission received through NSA headquarters last night. 

"England's Head of Foreign Affairs Francis Watson was assassinated last night. This was the last transmission from him." She played them a very staticy recording. "Hostile contact," it said. "Soviet spies...returned...protect...Intersect...Prime minister...assassination attempt...hide...intel..." The voice was barely understandable through the white noise. Then on the tape was a gunshot, and the static stopped before another gunshot rang. General Beckman spoke again. "An image incoding came with it. It was all static until the right before the last gunshot, when we saw this." She showed them a clip of a viscous looking man, bald and scar-faced, raising a gun to the screen and firing, before the transmission went black. 

"Is that guy on the radar at all?" asked Casey. 

"No, go retrieve 'Intersect' so we can see if he 'flashes' on him." Adrienne went to get Chuck while Casey remained. "How has she been on the case so far, Major Casey?" General Beckman asked. "Alright. We went to dinner with Bartowski's family last night and somehow she ended up posing as my girlfriend." 

"Well, as long as she keeps a cover, then she's fine. Don't let what happened in Azerbajan happen again. Or, for that matter, what happened in Nova Scotia, either." 

At that moment, Adrienne returned with Chuck, Sarah at his heels. "Agent Walker, this is NSA business. The CIA has no place in it," General Beckman told her. She begrudgingly left the room, finding no point in arguing. 

"Mr. Bartowski, do you recognize this man?" General Beckman asked, showing Chuck the video clip. Chuck's eyes glazed over as dozens of images flashed before his eyes. "Mathias Malstrome, Swedish arms dealer who was arrested in 1975 for dealing illegal arms to communist rebels."

Adrienne looked at him in amazement. "That's 'Intersect'," Casey told her. 

"Thank you, Mr. Bartowski. We believe he maybe heading to the U.S. as 'HATEF' tells us when a communist threat has successfully made it past United Kingdom borders. Keep an eye out for him. He is NSA bounty once he enters the country. All further codes and intel brought in on him will be forwarded directly to you, Major Dickey. Try to keep this low key and keep Agent Walker out of it. The last thing we need it the CIA meddling in more NSA affairs. Remember, he is after the 'Intersect'."

**Echo Park Buymore**

**Los Angeles, California**

**12 PM-noon**

**January 7, 2008**

"Hey, Hey, Chuck man. What's with the new chick? She's like a spy or something. She's everywhere," Morgan hassled Chuck. Chuck almost dropped the phone when Morgan referred to Adrienne as a spy, but remember his friends clueless use of coincidental words. 

"I'm on the phone," Chuck responded.

"So? But dude, why is she with Casey? I never saw him with anyone, you know, like in my head." Chuck looked at him funny. 

"Not like that, Chuck, man. Not cool at all. But her," he said, eyeing Adrienne from across the Nerd Herd desk. "Her I like in my head. But it's like a sign. She shows up at the Buymore yesterday, and even though we didn't talk, you know, cause of Casey and all, I could totally tell she was digging The Morgan. Then she's at your place for dinner last night, and despite that she was all lovey dovey in Casey's lap and all, she was totally checking me out. And now, now she works here. A greenshirt, too! It's like Little Christmas has come for The Morgan. I should go offer to help her get to know the Buymore."

"Morgan, buddy. First off, stop referring to yourself as 'The Morgan', okay? And besides, aren't you still with Anna?"

"Yeah man, but I've got my eye on the prize. I'm with Anna because she was step one on the ladder. But now, my friend, new doors have opened, and I'm going for it," Morgan bragged. 

"Right. So your going to waltz over there and charm her into your arms, despite the fact that she told us last night that she is so in love with Casey, who, need I remind you, beats you up if you look at him funny, that she left her job and traveled 3,000 miles across the country to be with him? Not to mention the fact that she's 40." Morgan looked thoughtful.

"Hm...Good point, Chuck man, good point. Maybe I can convince her that Casey is like cheating on her or something. Yeah! And then she'll come crying to me, and I'll live happily ever after with the hot army chick from New York. And the age thing, that's no big deal. Cougars are in this season." 

"You think Adrienne is...A cougar?" 

"Adrienne? Is that her name? Hmm...I thought it was something like that."

"Dude, even if you can convince her that, which I highly doubt, Casey will still kick your ass, man." Morgan placed his hand on Chuck's shoulder. "Never underestimate the power of the Morgan, Chuck. Aha look, she's alone. Now's my chance." He strode across the room towards Adrienne. "Morgan..Morgan, buddy? What about Anna?" Chuck called after him.

Morgan leaned against the shelf of CD's Adrienne was stocking. She smiled at him. "Oh, hi, Morgan. I almost forgot you worked here." Morgan turned towards Chuck and gave him a thumbs up. 

"So, your new in town? How about I give you the Morgan Grimes tour of a lifetime. It highlights all the highrises of Los Angeles." Adrienne laughed at him, although politely. "Morgan, you know I have a boyfriend. You met him last night." 

"Yeah, well what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"But it might hurt you," Casey interjected, grabbing Morgan by the back of his shirt and practically throwing him across the room.

"Sorry about that, I'll kill him if you want," he told her, loud enough for only them to hear. 

"As tempting the offer, Casey, I'll have to pass. He does have a, uh, certain charm about him. Besides, if you kill Chuck's friends, he'll be forced to spend more time with you."


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **__As always, the usual copyrights apply. Adrienne's mine, however. I wrote this a while ago, and never got around to posting it, but I figured that since I haven't posted anything in a while, I owed it to my fans, as few and far between as they may be. It's another one of my Casey fics, but this one is a Casey/OC, but it's very minor. I don't write anything rated higher than teen, unless it's anime. And obviously, it's not anime. Anyway enough blabbering, read and review please!_

_ Love always,_

_ Brittny Bombsquad_

**Apartment of John Casey**

**Los Angeles, California**

**5:30 AM**

**January 8, 2008**

Another beep told Adrienne that more information was in. She rubbed her eyes and glanced out the window, to the lightening sky. Any hope of sleep she had was gone. Information and codings related to Mathis Malstrome had been pouring in almost nonstop since about nine the night before, yet Adrienne still felt like the Malstrome case was full of grey areas. All in all, it was a typical day at NSA headquarters, if she was there. 

She figured Casey would be up soon, he constantly ran on army time, even when he didn't need to. That meant that if the sun was up, so was he. She was right. He barely glanced at her as he walked past her to get coffee, and didn't say anything. He brought her a cup of coffee, still in silence. It was wierd for him to wake up to someone in his house, and he didn't seem sure of how to act. He pulled up a chair and watched her on the computer, trying to make sense of all the codings and data on the screen. Aside from a mutter 'thanks' when he gave her the coffee, they hadn't acknowledged each other.

He watched her intently typing and counting words and translating until he was able to make more sense of what was on the computer. She seemed to get annoyed after w while and she closed out of the codings, leaving only one window open. He recognized it as a NSA criminal file. She looked over that intently for a while, then opened a new file and dug through what seemed like hundreds of minimized official papers. "Finally", she exclaimed, and the printer whirred on. Casey reached over and grabbed the paper.

"Do we have to go to this?" he asked. The paper was an invitation to an art gala. "I love how we just skip the whole part where people say 'hi' to each other," she pulled the paper out of his hand.

"Well we don't _have_ to. But it would be a good bet that he would be there. He manages artists, mostly Russian and friends of his, and uses their exhibitions and galas as covers to his arms smuggling operations. I don't know, maybe communist rebels have a good eye for art. Anyway, the coding I was looking at earlier where intercepted messages from him to an american-communist affiliation. I hacked the codes from the remaining House Un-American Activities Committee scanners. The closet ones are in Alaska, so it was alittle difficult, but obviously I managed to do it. They screen all messages in and out of Russia that haven't been blocked to them by the NSA, so currently most Russian-American transmissions go through them, since we're not worried about Russian terrorists right now. I don't see why not, since we helped with the downfall of the USSR. Anyway, Malstrome is apparently already inside American borders. There is a gala tonight and it's hosted by 'High Winds Scandinavia', his management company. So, yeah we have to go." 

"You could've just said yeah, I wasn't going to argue. And the whole side story about HUAC and the Cold War was unnessicary." Adrienne smirked. "I know, I was bragging."

"Well then, good for you," Casey replied sarcastically. 

**Echo Park Buymore**

**Los Angeles, California**

**10 AM**

**January 8, 2008**

Adrienne made eye contact with Chuck and nodded towards the Home Theater Room. He rolled his eyes and headed towards it. Sarah, who had just entered the store, followed.

"General Beckman," she said, ignoring Casey and Adrienne as she walked by. "It is my duty on this case to protect 'Intersect'. I find that alittle difficult to do when Casey and Adrienne take the Intersect away from me." 

"Well Agent Walker, Major Casey and Major Dickey are NSA agents, and the current case is a NSA matter. They are both skilled enough to carry out their duties on this case without you, and protect the 'Intersect'." 

"I understand that, General, but Casey does have some anger issues. In his file, it says he tried to kill someone he actually loved because she pissed him off. How can Chuck's life be trusted to someone who cares that little about who around them lives or dies?" 

Adrienne stepped forward. "General, I have personal knowledge of that incident, and Major Casey only acted the way he had been trained. The person he tried to kill was interfering with the case he was ordered to do, so he had no choice but to dispose of her. The whole 'romance controversy' of it is misconcepted and mistaken information. Hearsay, really." 

Everyone in the room was focused on her. "Major Dickey, I don't think you have alot of room to comment on your own case. I haven't seen the files in a while, but I believe that was the Nova Scotia incident, and it was you he shot." Adrienne backed down like a scolded puppy.

"Agent Walker, I will allow you to join them on this case, providing you don't flaunt any NSA secrets you may obtain around the CIA. However, you will be on a need to know basis only. Now, Major Dickey, I believe we are here because you have a lead on the case?"

"Yes, from HUAC communications, I found that Malstrome is in the U.S. He will be in Los Angeles tommorrow night for one of his art galas. I've already discussed with Major Casey that we will be attending it, because it's our best bet at getting him." 

"Good work, Major Dickey. The four of you will attend the gala, as planned. Apprehend Malstrome if you find him, but it's NSA, keep it low key." General Beckman left the screen.

"So, thats where all the strange yet obvious tension comes from, huh? Either Adrienne's in love with someone who tried to kill her, or Casey's in love with someone he tried to kill," Chuck said to the room at large. 

"Or maybe... it's both," added Sarah. Chuck squealed as Adrienne feigned like she was going to attack him, and Casey leered at Sarah. "Careful, Walker. You wouldn't want there to be an accident tommorrow at the gala."

**Antionetti Hotel**

**Los Angeles, California**

**8 PM**

**January 9, 2008**

Casey abandoned his usual cover of 'driver' or 'bartender' for the gala. Instead, mostly becuase of the even number of their group, he went as Adrienne's date. They entered the gala a few minutes after Chuck and Sarah, and headed in the opposite direction. They had matched, mostly black ofset with gold, more as coincidence then as an attempt to look like a L.A. couple. Sarah and Chuck, however, had matched on purpose. 

On one end of the exhibit, Chuck was sipping a martini and looking at the rather strange works of art. He bent close to one to examine it better. It looked like a World War Two battlefield. 

"Wow, these are really...something," he said staning up to find himself face to face with a tall, burly man. 

"You like it?" he asked, staring at Sarah. "They are inspired by the pain my people went through during the Cold War. True, there was no bombing, but it felt like a battlefront to us." 

His bent to kiss Sarah's hand. "I am Igar Kaivoski, Artist." She smiled at him, thinking of something to say, but she noticed Chuck gaping at Igar. "Excuse us for a moment," she said, leading Chuck out of ear shot.

"What's wrong?" Chuck mouthed wordlessly like a fish out of water, before finding his voice.

"Igar Kaivoski is Mathias Malstrome's right hand man." Sarah put her hand on her ear to better hear Casey and Adrienne on the other line."Did you guys get that?"she asked.

"Yeah, and I think he was wearing a wire, because we've just found Malstrome, and he's very intently heading your way. Adrienne's going to try and get him somewhere private so we can arrest him," Casey answered. 

"So she's going to try and seduce him?" Sarah teased. 

"I never said that," said Casey protectively.

They could hear Adrienne over her hidden microphone. "Excuse me, Mr Malstrome, can I have a word?" she called after him. He stopped so she could catch up. "I'm a big fan of your galleries. You have an amazing eye for art." 

"You don't look like an art contasoiurre." 

He eyed her suspiciously. "Yes, well looks can be decieving." He grabbed her arm and put a gun to her back. "I think you look like a federal agent wearing a wire, who's trying to stop me from killing your friend over there." 

He indictated to the stairs across the gallery, where two guys in dark glasses and leather jackets had guns to Sarah's and Chuck's backs as well. They led them upstairs and Mathias was leading Adrienne across the room as well, when he was distracted by Casey's destructive quick thinking. He had thrown a stool into the mirrored wall of the bar. Adrienne took advantage of his distraction to punch Mathias in the face and get away. 

She went for her gun, which was strapped to her leg under her dress, but before she could head upstairs to save Chuck, gunshots rang out behind her. She fired back, heading for the stairs. She ran up the stairs, and shot the guard at the top. She continued down the hall, listening for Sarah and Chuck. She finally came to a room with the door slightly ajar. She pushed it open and found the room empty. A muffled yell brought her attention to a closet, where she found Sarah, bound and gagged.

"It's a proud day for Agent Walker," she sneered at her. "Hey Casey," she said over her microphone."How's the party?" 

"I'm coming up, where are you guys?" 

"I'm in room 142, with Walker tied up in the closet. No sign of Chuck, though." Casey joined them in the room and saw Sarah. "We should probably untie her, maybe she knows where he is." Adrienne pulled out her cellphone. "It's not completely neccesary. GPS." She showed Casey her phone. 

Sarah had managed to get out of her ties while they were talking anyway. She pushed past Adrienne, going out of her way to thrust her shoulder at her as hard as possible. She ran out of the room and into the elevator, followed by Casey and Adrienne. They found Chuck on the roof, his kidnappers were holding him over the edge. Mathias was missing, but Igar was there. "Put down your weapons, or they drop him," he threatened. They lowered there guns and the guys brought Chuck back over the edge. "What do you want?" Sarah demanded. "It's not what I want, it's what he wants. The 'Intersect' is very valuable to Mathias' sales. I believe your friend here has something to do with it."

While he was talking, Adrienne whispered to Casey," I'm going to take out the right guard, you need to get the left one right away, or Chuck's going over...Now." She pulled her gun back out and shot one of the guards before he realized what was happening. Casey took out the other one almost immediately.

"Chuck, run," yelled Casey, as Igar pulled out his own gun. The three of them split up, finding cover as Igar opened fire. Chuck pulled the door to the stairs closed seconds before is was pelted with bullets. Adrienne had gone through a half a magazine and still hadn't hit Igar. "He's good," she said. Casey nodded in agreement. Eventually, Igar stopped to reload, and Sarah got a clear body shot.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **__As always, the usual copyrights apply. Adrienne's mine, however. I wrote this a while ago, and never got around to posting it, but I figured that since I haven't posted anything in a while, I owed it to my fans, as few and far between as they may be. It's another one of my Casey fics, but this one is a Casey/OC, but it's very minor. I don't write anything rated higher than teen, unless it's anime. And obviously, it's not anime. Anyway enough blabbering, read and review please!_

_ Love always,_

_ Brittny Bombsquad_

**Apartment of Chuck and Ellie Bartwoski**

**Los Angeles, California**

**11:30 PM**

**January 9, 2008**

Chuck dragged himself through the door, exhausted. Ellie jumped up from the couch. "So, how was your double date with John and Adrienne?" she asked excitedly. 

"It was good. Yeah. Not to much into the art, but the bar was good. Now I'm exhausted, I'm going to bed. See you in the morning, Ellie." 

"Yeah, Goodnight, Chuck."

He had just gotten to his room when he heard Ellie open the door. He paused to see who it was. "Oh, hi Sarah. Chuck just went to bed. You can go see if he's still up." 

"Thanks Ellie." Sarah headed towards Chuck's room. She knocked and pushed the door open."Hey ,said Chuck."What's up?" 

She shook her head. "Nothing, actually. Just came by to see if you were ok." 

"Yeah I'm fine. Hey do you know anything about what Adrienne and General Beckman were talking about yesterday? About Nova Scotia?" 

"Not much more than what was said. I know Casey and Adrienne used to be a couple, and they did some cases together, but they ended up doing seperate cases after their relationship got in the way of their work. Then they ran into each other in Nova Scotia, on opposing cases, and something happened, I heard that Casey found out she had a new guy, but I don't know if that's true, but he shot her, and she almost died." 

Chuck stared at her for a minute before she continued. "Of course, that's completely hearsay. I can assure you that most, if not all, of that story is untrue. I mean, you know Casey. He's not even remotely like that. Except the whole shooting part."

"Wow. I never thought of Casey as the jealous type. Well, I never really thought of Casey as any type, but hey." 

"Yeah, but like I just said, it's all hearsay. If you really want to know, why don't you ask him yourself?" 

Chuck forced a laugh. "Yeah, go ask Casey about his personal life. That'll work out real well for me." He laid back, still exhausted. "It's certianly been an eventful week. A new agent, who apparently has slash had a thing for Mr. Cynical, a Russian art dealer assassian, not to mention another near miss with the concrete nine floors below me. Oh, and the new agent, Adrienne, seems to be more of a computer chick than me, yet still doesn't seem to like me. Welcome to my life, hey?" Sarah smiled sadly at Chuck. Chuck closed his eyes, wanting nothing better than to sleep for the rest of his life, and Sarah showed herself out.

Casey was waiting for her near her car. "You do know that I have Bartowski's apartment bugged, right?" Sarah fished in her purse for her keys, only half paying attention to Casey. "So I heard everything you told him. Agent Walker, my personal life is none of you or Bartowski's business."

"I just told him what I heard, and I told him it probably wasn't true. I told him that if he wants the truth, he should risk asking you. Now if you wouldn't mind, it's late and I would like to go home." 

**Apartment of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski**

**Los Angeles, California**

**10:30 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

Chuck jumped up from the couch to see who was pounding on the door. Half of him feared the worst, but part of him thought it was just Morgan or someone. It was late and Ellie and Awesome were out, so he was alone with no one to her his girly scream if it was "the worst". Whoever was at the door pounded again. 

"Open up little pig, before I huff and puff, or rather, lock and load, and blow your door down," came a girl's voices from thew other side. He was pretty sure it was Adrienne, but he opened the door with the chain drawl just incase. Adrienne was glaring at him, her arms crossed against her chest. She had on a long-sleeved black shirt, with a vest Chuck suspected was bullet-proof, a radio walkie-talkie mounted on her chest, and a unconcealed handgun at her hip. These warning signs sent chills up and down Chuck'c spine. When he finally spoke to Adrienne, his voice shook with obvious anxiety.

"Hey, Adrienne. What's...What's up? I'd love to let you in, but..." But what? Was he going to tell her he was getting ready for bed, or that he had company, or that he was sick? He didn't have to worry about an excuse. 

"Bartowski, I have no interest in coming in." Relief swept over Chuck. "Oh, thank..." 

Adrienne grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him out into the courtyard, closing the door behind him."We're going out." She practically drug him to her car, a Black Mustang Shelby GT-500, Chuck unsure of whether or not to struggle away from her. "Wow. Does it talk?" He asked, referencing the new Knight Rider series.

She shifted into gear and sped out of the parking lot. "What's going on?" Chuck asked, holding on for dear life as Adrienne flew down the Sunset Strip. "We have a lead, Bartowski, and we think we might need that computer in your noggin to find what we're looking for," she said sternly and professionally. 

"Wow, you in combat mode or whatever is kinda scary. The contrast, I mean." 

"Remember, I'm a Marine, Bartowski. It's all in the training." 

"Right. So given the guns and walkie-talkies, and bulletproof vests and you calling me by my last name, I'm assuming this is important?" 

"Stop talking," Adrienne snapped.

She skidded into the parking lot of the Buymore, followed almost immediately by Sarah's small black sports car. Casey got out of his new 1986 black Grand Marquis, a late christmas present from the combined efferts of Chuck and Adrienne which he had immensely refused to accept, yet still drove on a daily basis, and unlocked the Buymore. He too was dressed for combat, almost identical to Adrienne's outfit. Chuck had given up on finding out what was going on, because no one was answering him. In the Home Theater Room, Casey revelaed the stock of arms in the table, and he and Sarah suited up, while Adrienne hooked up her laptop. 

Chuck watched over her shoulder as she worked ferociously. "What exactly is that?" Chuck asked, looking at a screen full of sets of 3 numbers, and a page opened to excerts from _The Grapes of Wrath_ by John Steinbeck.

"It's an Ottendorf Cipher. The mystery numbers refer to letters in a text, usually a random magazine or newspaper article. In this case, it's the reason I failed English in Eleventh grade." Chuck noticed Casey staring at him, and turned around. 

"Are you going to fight bad guys in your PJs?" he asked. 

"Well, your lovely girlfriend didn't give me much of a choice," Chuck retaliated. 

"I got it. The overwrite codes should be in the abandoned Pitman's warehouse on Pier 73." She closed her laptop and they all headed out. 

"Wait, am I supposed to fight bad guys in my pajamas?" 

Casey looked back, annoyed. 

"No, this time you can stay in the car. We'll send you pictures." 

"Really?" Chuck asked, not sure if Casey was being sarcastic or not. "No, your going to Pier 73 with Agent Walker, after me and Adrienne clear the coast." He continued out of the store, getting annoyed by the delay.

"Nice stash" Adrienne said, eyeing the draw full of guns. 

"Help yourself," Casey offered.

Adrienne looked through the draw, and pulled out a black Smith & Wessen 9mm handgun, identical to the one already holstered in her belt. Casey smiled to himself as he continued out of the store. They headed for there seperate cars, but Casey ordered them otherwise. "Walker, you and Chuck take a herder. Adrienne, your coming with me." She looked sadly back at her Mustang, then climbed begrudgingly into Casey Marquis. 

**Pier 73**

**El Segundo, California**

**11 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

Casey held his gun steadliy in front of him as he snuck around the side of the warehouse, peering in windows, checking for people. "Casey, I'm going in," Adrienne told him. 

"No, wait for me." 

She pulled the clip out of one of her guns, checked it, and put it back in. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. And if I find that I can't, I'll radio you." She turned her walkie-talkie on, and eased open the door.

**Pier 71**

**El Segundo, California**

**11 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

Sarah pulled the Herder as close as she dared to the gate marked 'Pier 71 Keep Out'. The GPS she had put on Malstrome had led her here. 

"Chuck," she said, getting out of the car. 

"I'm not staying in the car. I'll never hear the end of it from Casey if I do." 

"Fine," she sighed. "Do you remember how to shoot?" 

"Automatic? Sure, pull the trigger," he said nervously. 

She handed him a gun. "Don't have to use it." 

She snuck around the Pier with Chuck at her heels, holding her gun out in front of her and following the GPS signal beeping on her cellphone screen. It took her to a garage, but Malstrome wasn't there. He had apparently found the GPS and shed it here.

**Pier 73**

**El Segundo, California**

**11:15 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

There were a set of footprints in the years worth of accumulated filth. Adrienne followed them steathily, not sure if the owner of the footprints was still in the warehouse. They led to a room at the very back. A sign next to the door identified it as a janitorial closet. She pushed the door open slowly and her gun preceded her through it. The room was full of cleaning supplies covered in years of dust, but a crumpled piece of paper on the floor caught her attention. It wasn't as dirty as everything else in the warehouse, and upon uncrumpling it she found the overwrite codes. Suddenly she felt like she was being watched. She turned around to find herself still alone, but she realized then that cleaning supplies weren't the only thing in the room. Under the table, in mop buckets, all over the room where bundles of dynamite, lacking the dust of everything else. She heard a faint ticking, and knew that they were live. She grabbed her radio. "Casey, I found the codes, But you probably shouldn't come in here right now."

**Pier 71**

**El Segundo, California**

**11:15 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

An explosion rocked Pier 71. Sarah and Chuck looked in the direction of the explosion, shocked. "Um, Sarah?" Chuck said, hesitantly. 

"Yeah?" she said, already knowing what he was about to say.

"Wouldn't that be Pier 73, where Adrienne and Casey are?" Sarah nodded. She ran to the car, and Chuck did a double take before running after her. 

**Pier 73**

**El Segundo, California**

**11:20 PM**

**January 11, 2008**

Casey ran into the building after the explosion settled. He found Adrienne and pulled her out of the building. The explosion had only taken the back, but with the fires burning, he was sure they'd continue. Out in the parking lot, he checked her vital signs and grabbed his walkie-talkie.

"This is Agent Casey," he radioed in. "I have an agent down. Victim is Major Adrienne Dickey. She has excessive bleeding, a faint pulse and no respiration. The building, well whats left of it, is still smoldering." He looked up at the building, waiting for the next explosion. 

The front of the building blew up as the ambulance and firetrucks pulled into the parking lot, followed by a Nerd Herder. The EMS took care of Adrienne as he went to talk to Sarah and Chuck. Chuck was staring at the parking lot, and Casey followed his gaze. He found that Chuck was staring at his new car, currently in flames, lying on its side next to its roof and one of the doors. He sighed in exasperation, and looked like he was going to cry. 

"Does the warrantly cover explosions?" Chuck asked, sarcastically. Casey ignored him. 

"Did she get the codes?" Sarah asked him, as he climbed into the ambulance. Casey handed Sarah the paper he had taken out of Adrienne's hand. "Report them to General Beckman, then burn them. I'm going to the hosptial with her." Sarah raised her eyebrows at him, questioning his intent. He shrugged. "Never Stay Alone."


End file.
